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Andrew was always vaguely aware of the fact that he was getting older. He had spotted the occasional gray patch in his stubble, noticed a faint wrinkle somewhere on his face. He even felt his back ache every now and again, but he had always brushed it off.
It wasn't until he had been asked by an old friend from college to babysit his daughter that he can say he actually felt old.
Of course, he wasn't complaining. He had met the young girl only a few times, but to say she held a special place in his heart would be an understatement. He had just finished up the last leg of his tour, so he had all the time in the world back at home. And he did owe Liam and Quinn, her parents, a favor. They deserved to have a night out just the two of them; watching their daughter was the least he could do.
He took this responsibility very seriously. He was even on time, arriving at 6pm on the dot, as instructed (given, it was only because he told himself he had to be there at 5:30).
He walked up to their doorstep, gave their door a few light knocks, and stepped back. It took a moment, but he could hear his friend’s voice call for Quinn through the door before watching it unlock. Liam opened the door with a puzzled expression that had Andrew wondering if he somehow showed up on the wrong day.
“Andrew, you're here… on time? Are you feeling okay?”
“Ha ha, very funny.” He replied sarcastically, accompanied by an eye roll. They greeted each other, Liam widened the door, and Andrew stepped inside.
“Honey, the babysitter’s here!” Liam shouted up the staircase. Quinn quickly emerged with open arms and gave Andrew a quick squeeze once she reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Andrew! It's great to see you. How long has it been?” She asked.
“About… six months, I’d say. The week before I left for the States.”
“That's much too long. We need to actually go out sometime soon.”
They spent a few minutes standing around and catching up, swapping stories about their jobs (including a concert story or two). It gave Andrew a moment to appreciate these smaller, mundane moments that seemed to slowly be becoming a rarity. He was mid-sentence when he was caught off guard by the pitter-patter of small footsteps rushing towards him.
“Uncle Andy!” He glanced down, finding a little girl already latched on to his leg; Katie, the reason he’d been asked to babysit. He reached down to pat her head, ruffling the little one’s hair.
“Hey there, lass! How are you?”
A muffled noise that sounded something like ‘I’m good’ came from the girl as she buried her face in his leg.
His sentence was cut off at the sound of another knock at the door.
“That's odd. I don't think I’m expecting anyone-” Quinn started, interrupted by Liam opening the door to find you standing on their front step. You didn’t even notice the surprised looks on everyone’s faces as you entered, blindsided by your excitement.
“Hey,” you said, giving Liam a side hug before moving on to Quinn and doing the same. Katie let go of Andrew’s leg and rushed over to you, joyfully screaming your name. A wide grin grew on your face at the sight of her, and Andrew couldn’t help but notice how beautiful your smile was. He immediately snapped himself out of it once he realized he had no idea who you were, let alone what you were even doing here.
“Hi, Katie Cat!” you exclaimed. He watched as you pulled her into an embrace, not noticing his presence until you pulled away. You looked up at him, your gaze meeting his, smile fading in awe.
“Y/N, this is my Uncle Andy,” Katie explained as she held on to your hand, quickly dragging you towards him until there was maybe a foot between you two before pointing upwards. A thought flashed across Andrew’s mind: Is this five-year-old playing matchmaker?
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Have you met my friend Andrew before?” Liam asked.
“You do seem familiar. Didn’t you get drunk and sing Take Me To Church at the wedding?”
“Probably.”
“Oh my god, Y/N, I am so sorry. I think I double-booked myself and accidentally asked both of you to watch Katie,” Quinn admitted. “Again, so sorry. My head’s been all over the place today.”
“It’s alright. He got here first. I’ll just go, then. Leave you to it,” you decided, admittedly a little disappointed but understanding the whole scenario. You took a step back, turning to go before a small hand grabbed yours, stopping you in your tracks.
“Don't go! You can both stay.” Katie begged, puppy dog eyes in full effect. It's like she knew exactly how to tug on your heartstrings, because after that you were willing to stay for as long as she wanted. But you still needed permission.
“I mean, as long as it's okay with… Uncle Andy.”
Andrew gave you a nod, perhaps a bit too quickly. He couldn't tell if it was because he already knew he was going to need help with this, or because he simply wanted to be in your company. Either way, both were true.
“Two babysitters it is.” He conceded.
“Hooray!” She yelled, latching herself onto your leg as she had done to Andrew's just moments before. You looked down at her, a warm smile returning to your face, before looking back up at him. All three of you could tell this was going to be… an interesting night, to say the least.
Before they left, Liam and Quinn had given you two very lenient instructions. All you had to do was put Katie to bed by 8:30 and watch the house until they got home around 10. Everything else was fair game. Easy enough of a job for two grown adults. However, the way that your night started at their kitchen table made you wonder if perhaps their rules were too permissive.
You were sat across from each other, you and Andrew on the same side, Katie on the other. It oddly felt like you were being interrogated by this small child. Which, after offering a game of 20 questions so you could get to know each other better, wasn't exactly far off from reality.
“Why do I feel like she's going to ask me why I was at the scene of the crime?” he asked you in a whisper, leaning towards you. Andrew swore he could feel his heart skip a beat as you chuckled at his remark, and he was relieved as you revealed you felt the same.
“The real question is, is she Good Cop or Bad Cop?” You replied in the same hushed tone.
“Oh, bad cop. I’ve done this with her before, and when she wants to know something she’ll badger you until she gets an answer.”
“Perfect. She can be my lawyer in about twenty years.”
That elicited a laugh out of Andrew, a small chuckle that caught Katie’s attention.
“What's funny?” She asked, genuinely feeling like she missed out on your conversation.
“It's nothing.” You changed the subject to convince her it was inconsequential. “Why don't we get started? Ask us anything,” you instructed, regretting the words as soon as they left your mouth, mostly because of the next words that came out of Katie’s.
“Why don't you have a wife?” She turned to Andrew, whose mouth was now agape. Your own eyes had widened, shocked by the boldness of her first question before remembering she is a little girl that hadn't yet developed a filter.
“You haven't seen me in a while. How do you know I don't?” He retorted, a lazy attempt at deflecting the question.
“Do you have a wife?”
“Well, no…”
“Then why don't you have a wife?”
“Ehm… I think it's her turn.” He tilted his head in your direction. Katie agreed with a nod and thought for a beat. Once she formulated her question, her attention turned to you.
"How many friends do you have?”
“God, I don't know… four? Five?”
“That's not a lot. Why do you only have five friends?”
“Good question… back to him!”
Katie turned.
“How come I don’t see you often?”
“Because usually I’m on tour.”
“Is that why you don’t have a wife?”
“Huh. Maybe.”
“Do you want to get married?”
“Yes,” you both said. You exchanged a glance, surprised you both had the same answer. The girl across the table was oblivious to this small moment you shared, and immediately went back to her questioning.
“Will Tommy be the husband?” Katie leaned across the table, an excited gleam in her eye.
Tommy. Your ex. Last time Katie had seen you, you two were in love, almost madly. However, a lot can happen in four months, and you found yourself having to explain a breakup (a particularly messy one, at that) to this naive girl. You let out a sigh.
“No. Me and Thomas… we aren't really friends anymore”
“But you said he was your true love.”
“Not anymore! Next question. Please.”
“True love is forever. Is true love not forever?”
“It is! It is.”
“Then how come you and Tommy aren't friends?”
“Well, Tommy — Thomas,” you corrected yourself before continuing, your words stunted, “and I weren't as good together as we thought. It took longer than it should've to realize, but we couldn't work. Kind of like when you’re doing a puzzle, and it looks like two pieces fit, but when you try to put them together, they don't.”
It was like you could watch the gears turn in Katie’s little head; she was trying as hard as she could to imagine your comparison. Meanwhile, Andrew was watching you as you thought, mentally praising you for not only putting into words something obviously painful for you, but explaining in terms a kid could understand. Despite the supposed ‘way with words’ he had, he knew it would take him several tries and multiple rough drafts to do the same. He let you continue, his eyes never leaving your face.
“It’s just sometimes, you think someone is your true love, when actually they’re not. Sometimes some things aren't meant to be. And that’s okay. No matter how sad it makes the both of you afterwards, or how upset you get…”
Your sentence trailed off, your throat closing up with that all-too-familiar feeling you recognized immediately. All of this had happened months ago; the breakup between you and Thomas had devastated you of course, but you had recovered. But having to explain the complicated events between you two in such a straightforward way, to put all the emotions you felt into simple terms, made it all seem real. And it only made those feelings resurface.
Andrew could tell something was off. He, of course, had no idea about this past relationship, and frankly, it was none of his business. What was his business, however, was how you looked like you were about to cry, how he could see the tears in your eyes welling up. He wasn't about to let you shed a tear over this. So, he attempted a diversion.
“Alright, I think we're done playing 20 questions. How about a movie?” He stood up, a feigned smile on his face. Your eyes lit up at his suggestion and you stood up after him, following suit.
“You know what? Good idea. Katie, why don’t you go find something to watch with Andrew and I’ll make popcorn, get some snacks ready?”
For a moment you worried she wouldn’t comply and more innocently personal questions would be coming your way. However, Katie didn't seem to mind this interjection, immediately agreeing and hurrying over to the living room to find the TV remote.
You both watched as she scurried away before looking back at each other eyes meeting for the first time that night. A few seconds were spent just staring into his eyes, noticing how very green they were. This captivation distracted you from the awkward silence that filled the air between you. You broke eye contact first, stepping around your chair and pushing it in. You walked into the kitchen, the footsteps you heard behind you letting you know he followed you. You didn't speak until you knew Katie would be out of earshot.
“Thank you,” you said sincerely.
“No problem. I completely get it.”
“Jesus, my first babysitting gig and I almost cried. At this rate, I’ll have to go back to selling lemonade to make ends meet.”
He let out a laugh, and the sight of it made a smile tug at the corner of your lips, though you couldn't shake the feeling you looked a bit… pathetic.
“ You probably think I’m a loser, huh?”
“No! No, absolutely not. Love, breakups, endings … dealing with that stuff isn't easy. If I thought it was, I wouldn't write songs on the matter for a living. Having to explain it to a kid without crushing her dreams is even harder. If anything, I commend you for it.”
For a reason you couldn't immediately explain, his praise actually managed lighten your mood, to the point where you had to suppress the urge to grin from ear to ear.
“What is it?” Andrew asked, as if to tell you your smile hadn't gone unnoticed.
“That was… just really nice of you to say.”
“I mean, it's true.”
The room filled with silence for a moment before you broke it.
“Do you think we could just forget that the whole thing ever happened and get on with the night?”
“Absolutely. It's forgotten,” he agreed, borderline erasing it from his memory as soon as you asked. His attention shifted as he yelled into the other room.
“Katie, have you ever seen The Princess Bride?”
Andrew went off into the living room, following Katie, and a smile grew on your face as you looked through the pantry for microwave popcorn.
It took a solid ten minutes of searching due to the plethora of streaming services Liam and Quinn had, but you finally found The Princess Bride. Katie brought down some blankets from her room in the meantime. Given, because they came from a six-year-old’s bedroom, they were patterned with Disney characters and unicorns, but they were comfortable all the same. You sat on opposite sides of the couch, a bowl of popcorn equidistant between the both of you, and for a reason only her little brain could rationalize, Katie was sitting on the floor.
You looked at the screen in awe like it was your first time watching, when in actuality you’d seen the movie more times than you could count. You mouthed the words of the most famous lines, almost subconsciously, as to not disturb the little one’s first viewing experience. Of course, you also snuck a few glances at Andrew when the screen held less of your attention. Okay, maybe more than a few glances. It was the first time that night you both could actually relax, and you took the moment to size him up. His hair, which was up in a man-bun at the beginning of the night, had since been let down, brown curls now loosely framing his face. He wore a white sweatshirt and black jeans. On his feet were white Converse that were clearly well-loved, to say the least. Despite how casual it all was, he really pulled it off. It almost made you wish you could raid his closet, see what other unexpectedly stylish clothes he had in his possession, maybe steal a sweater on the way out.
Oddly enough, it felt natural, being this comfortable on opposite sides of the couch with a man that might as well be a stranger. It’s almost like you wouldn’t mind if this was your house, your television, your kid-
You were snapped out of your thoughts by the clapping you heard from Katie’s spot on the floor as the credits rolled.
“So what did you think?” Andrew asked. Katie’s gaze broke from the screen to look at him.
“I wanna watch it again!”
“You can watch it again another time with mum and dad.”
“I want to watch it now!”
“Katie, the movie’s over, and it's 8 at night. Get upstairs, put on your pajamas, and brush your teeth.” He scolded as he got up from his spot on the couch. He bent down, resting his hands on his knees.
“I said I wanna watch it again!”
“It's getting late, you have to get ready for-”
“Again! Again! Again!” She stomped. You knew she was bound to have a tantrum any second now. Something that, judging by the concerned on his face, Andrew had no idea how to handle. It seemed like it was your turn to come to the rescue.
You got up from your seat, walking over to Andrew to stand by his side (figuratively and literally).
“Could you help me out here?” He asked, his frustration with her slowly growing.
“Watch and learn.”
You turned to Katie and crouched down to be on her level.
“Do you want to play a game?”
She didn't give a verbal answer, but based on her frown immediately disappearing and her head nodding so rapidly you thought it might fall off, you could assume what she would say. You thought for a moment before continuing.
“All you have to do to play is go upstairs and do everything you would usually do right before you go to bed. I’m going to set a timer, and if you’ve done everything and you're in bed before the timer, you win. Got the rules?”
“Yep!” She squeaked, her excitement evident.
“Alright. Ready… set… go!”
She quickly ran out of the living room and up the stairs, leaving the two of you left stunned for a moment. You both got up from your crouching, and you craned your neck upward to be met with, to your surprise, a look of amazement from Andrew.
“I swear, you must be magic.”
You deflected his praise almost immediately.
“Please, I’m not even close to being magic. I just know that kids will do anything if you turn it into a game.”
“Which is a level of sorcery that I can only wish to achieve!”
“If we end up babysitting again, you can always become my apprentice.”
“Offering a second date already?”
You knew he was teasing, but the romantic suggestion was enough to make your heart pound in your chest. You responded the only way you knew how.
“Shut up…”
You bantered and talked, taking advantage of the very little time you had to try and get to know each other (past the deep secrets you already knew from Katie’s questions). Your conversation immediately felt as if you knew each other for years, not hours. There was almost a click to it; the back and forth between the two of you happened easily, naturally. But, like all things, it couldn't last forever. After about ten minutes, a small voice yelled from up the stairs:
“I’m done!”
“We’ve been summoned.” Andrew stated.
He started walking towards the staircase, and nodded his head to tell you to come along. You caught up to him with no hesitation.
Andrew opened the door to Katie’s room and took a look around. It was as messy as one expects a five-year-old’s bedroom to be. Toys, anything from fake jewelry to Barbies, were scattered across the floor. Her drawings, mostly scribbles of rainbows and cartoons and her family, hung on her wall. Stuffed animals and fuzzy blankets were contained in a chest in the foot of her bed. After a moment, he held the door wider, giving you room to walk inside. You thanked him and walked over to the side of Katies bed. A bit unsure of what to do, Andrew stood behind you as you talked to Katie.
“Look who’s suddenly ready for bed.” You said to her. Katie made a face of realization before pouting in disappointment.
“Hey, you tricked me!”
“Yeah, I did. But now that you're all ready for bed and tucked in, aren't you tired?”
“I guess,” she started, a yawn interrupting her thought, “I am.”
“Then it's time for you to go to bed. Good night Katie Cat.”
You leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead before Katie let out a yelp.
“Wait! I can’t go to bed yet. I need a story.” She whined. “Mum and dad tell me a story every night before bed. I can't sleep without it.”
“What do you want it to be about?”
“Can it be about a princess? Like the movie?”
“Sure. Well, there was-”
“It needs to start with ‘once upon a time’.”
“Does it really have to?”
“Yes.”
“Alright then,” you conceded, knowing as much as you wanted to protest, she wouldn't let it go.“Once upon a time, there was a princess… that was trapped in a tower… guarded by a dragon.”
“Wow, that’s never been done before,” you heard him whisper behind you. You looked over your shoulder and shot him a small look of disapproval.
“Well, to her it's original. Just go with it,” you chided before continuing.
“As I was saying, there was a princess trapped in a tower. And there was a prince,” you turned behind you again, mouthing ‘that's you’ to the man behind you, “that was trying to rescue her.”
“Can I be the dragon?” Katie asked eagerly.
“Whatever you want, dear.” You replied, giving her approval. Katie let out a roar and, shockingly, Andrew got into character, already miming holding a sword and shield.
“Hello, Ms. Dragon. Listen, I have to slay you. I’m not happy about it either. It's the only way to save the princess.”
He gave you a quick glance, one you would've missed if you had blinked in the wrong moment. He returned his focus to ‘the dragon’.
“I usually am a pacifist, so I truly hate to do this, but I must…”
He faked a lunge towards her and began to tickle her, making both of them double over in laughter. You attempted to engrave the memory into your mind in fear that you would never experience a moment as heartwarming as this one again. He gave up after thirty seconds, standing up again.
“And just like that, the dragon was defeated!” You announced.
“Now the princess needs to marry the prince!” Katie yelled, almost commanded.
“What?” Andrew asked, more confused than opposed. Katie only gave him a disapproving look, which was enough to make him comply.
He knelt down on one knee and scoured the ground for something that had caught his eye before: a toy ring. He snatched it off her messy floor and held it towards you in an extended hand.
“Princess, I have rescued you from the dragon. Now, should you say yes, I would like to have you as my wife.”
This wasn't necessarily the most romantic moment of your life, but for some reason, it definitely made the list. A fact that was a bit pitiful, sure, but still very true. Which was exactly why you- technically, the princess- needed to take the story in an alternate direction. It was a personal way to protect your ego.
“And the princess said… no thanks.” Surely that would save your self-esteem from his imaginary judgment. To your surprise, it did the opposite. His brows furrowed in confusion, and his smile dropped.
“What? Why wouldn't the princess want to marry the prince?” He asked, trying to give you a look as if to tell you to just go with it. You, of course, got the message, but decided to lean more into your own narrative.
“She didn’t like the look of him.” Lie. But one that kept the girl entertained, her laughs growing louder.
“Why not?” Andrew couldn’t help but feel just a little offended, even though he knew everything you were saying was intended lightheartedly, the real purpose being to entertain the girl.
“Well, he was a bit lanky, for starts.”
“That’s not exactly something the prince can control. You have to cut him some slack there.”
“And his hair was better than hers! It was beautiful. All long and curly and fluffy. The princess simply wasn’t having it.”
“Wait, you think my hair is-.”
“And to top it all off, he was tall! Very tall. She’d have to go on her tiptoes just to kiss him, which, honestly Katie, gets very inconvenient.”
Andrew was about to counter, the words on the tip of his tongue, but stopped himself upon hearing the fits of giggles escaping Katie. He decided to let the moment be, taking in both your and Katie’s smiles from this new perspective.
You turned, your face showing your feigned contemplation. For a brief moment, you enjoyed the fact this might be the only time you'll be taller than him. A sigh escaped your lips and your eyes rolled, but you couldn't hide the smile on your face.
“I guess the princess could try and give the prince a chance.”
He looked back up at you, giving you a sheepish grin.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He took your hand and carefully placed the ring on your finger, as gentle as he would be if it was made of diamond and not plastic. His calloused fingers wrapped around your hand, undoubtedly hardened by all the guitar he’d played over the years. The feeling of his hands on yours, him looking up at you, the way his eyes were staring into yours with such admiration, it all almost felt like a real proposal. Not one that came after slaying a dragon, but after years of knowing and loving each other. One that came before celebratory kisses and preparing for a wedding. One that made your heart stir and your mind wander, only stopped when you heard him mutter something.
“You kinda have to finish the story.”
Right. The story. His words snapped you out of your deep thought, and you blinked a few times as you focused back on reality and not what you’d made up in your head about the man you'd only known for about two hours. The gorgeous, tall, kind, funny man you had only known for two hours. You cleared your throat.
“So, the princess finally said yes to him. And then they got married and they all lived happily ever after!”
“You can get up now, you know.”
You took a bow, as if you had just finished up a broadway worthy performance. Andrew, however, stayed in his spot on the floor still kneeling, something you only noticed when you looked up to smile at him to find empty space where you expected his head to be. You looked down at him and whispered.
“You can get up now, you know.”
“Oh. Right.”
He got up and did his own small bow before making an announcement.
“Alright, story’s over. Time to go to sleep.”
Though she had enjoyed it, by the end of your story (performance?) Katie's eyes were already drooping, so she had no more hostility towards going to bed. You walked over and stood on the left side of her bed, Andrew on the right.
“Goodnight, Katie-Cat. Sweet dreams.” You said softly before placing a small kiss on her forehead. He quickly did the same, placing a kiss on her forehead as well.
“Goodnight, Katie. Sleep well.”
He paused for a moment before adding on something you hadn't expected.
“I love you.”
As if your heart couldn't melt any more.
“Love you too, Uncle Andy.” She mumbled before making herself comfortable, snuggling up under her blanket; it was almost a signal for you to leave the room. You both obeyed, walking towards her door frame. You flipped the light switch, leaving the room in darkness, and closed her door behind you both.
You hated to admit it, but a smile grew on both of your faces.
Unsure of how to celebrate (a handshake was too formal, a high-five was too loud), after an awkward rotation of gestures, you settled on a fist bump.
Does fist-bumping a man ten minutes after calling his hair beautiful count as mixed signals?
“We did it!” You whisper-shouted after your small celebration. Andrew's tone mirrored yours as he spoke.
“Jesus, is this what being a parent feels like?”
“I hope not. No offense to you, but I’m miserable.”
“Oh no, the pounding headache’s got to you too?”
“That and the back pain from all the crouching over.”
“At times I could feel my hair turning gray.”
“What I’m hearing is that you could also go for a cup of tea right about now.”
“That's exactly correct. However, this isn't our house, which means it's not our place to make tea.”
“It can be if you give me two minutes.”
You shot Quinn a quick text to ask.
hey. is it alright if me and andrew make some tea? I know you said we could do whatever but i feel bad if you're not home.
It took a minute, but Quinn replied.
i trust you both so much i’d let you cook a three-course meal without me home. go ahead and brew your tea.
“Well, we’ve got Quinn’s approval.”
You showed him the text, and he let out a soft chuckle, nodding. You both headed down the stairs as quickly (and quietly) as possible.
You returned to the kitchen and began to look for teabags while Andrew looked for a kettle. You didn’t dare to make a mess, so you both just closed and opened drawers until you found exactly what you needed. He filled the kettle and placed it on the stove while you made the hard decision between chamomile and earl grey (you immediately made your decision when he made a comment about chamomile being his favorite). You leaned on opposite sides of the counter, the stove between the two of you. After a minute you fell into a silence that was comfortable, but unwanted. It was the first time that night you had the freedom of being alone now that Katie was fast asleep, yet you had no idea what to do with yourselves. Biting at your lower lip, you thought of something to say.
“We did a pretty good job being Katie’s court jesters for the night.” You finally commented. Andrew nodded his head before jokingly correcting your statement.
“More accurately, we did a good job being her prince and princess.”
“Almost made me think I should’ve pursued a career in acting.”
“You have to give some credit to your co-star here, as well.”
“Oh, absolutely. Oscar-winning performance. I appreciate you incorporating props, as well.”
“One of the greatest improv moments of my career.”
“I had no idea I was in the presence of such a legend. ”
You both were surprised that Liam and Quinn actually owned a radio.
“Do you mind if I play some music?” He asked.
“Not at all.” You stepped to the side, giving him permission to turn the radio on.
He twisted the knob, searching through static for a station before stopping. He landed on a station playing older jazz, turning up the volume as he recognized the tune: A Kiss To Build A Dream On by Louis Armstrong. Instinctively, he tapped his foot to the beat.
You both stood in silence, one that almost drowned out the song playing. This silence was just strong enough for you to formulate an idea. You liked this song, you were bored, and most importantly, you wanted to be close to him. So you decided to take a risk. You extended a hand in his direction.
“Care for a dance?”
It took him a moment to process your question out of shock. After a few seconds, he stuttered out his answer, his gaze shifting to your hand.
“I- No, I couldn't. I have two left feet. I’d probably be… stepping on your toes the entire time.”
You shrugged.
“Who cares? It's just us, and I’m not gonna judge you.” You reassured him, motioning for him to join you.
Andrew was quickly learning he couldn't say no to you.
He gave in, taking one of your hands in his and placing the other one on your waist. At first, you awkwardly kept your distance between each other, like two teens during a slow song at their school dance. However, you got more into a rhythm as time went on, eventually getting comfortable enough with him to rest your head on his chest, as close as you could get to his shoulder with his height. Andrew was hoping you were more focused on dancing so you couldn’t feel his heart beat out of his chest. He kept his promise of stepping on your toes, mumbling a “Sorry!” every time he did so. He wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be. He even tried to spin you by the second chorus, almost crashing you into him, but helping you regain your balance. Laughter was your only response to any of this.
Much to the dismay of you both, the song ended, and you pulled away from each other. You missed his touch, your hand buzzing from the sudden change. Another song began to play from the radio: I’m In The Mood For Love by Julie London. Christ, it was like the universe was sending you a sign. Everything else throughout the night had all led up to this.
You could barely process what was happening when Andrew placed his lips on yours.
The kiss was small and chaste, cautious in case you didn't reciprocate. It was so sudden that you forgot to kiss him back, just absorbing the moment that you had slowly been longing for more and more throughout the night. When he pulled away, all he saw was the astonishment and shock on your face. He didn't notice how your gaze was fixated on your lips, and instead frantically began to apologize.
“Shit, I misread you, didn't I? I’m so sorry, I apologize. You have every reason to be upset with me.”
His suggestion made you laugh.
“Are you kidding me? That's all I've wanted all night.”
You saw something change in his demeanor, and he let out a sigh of relief.
“It's alright if I kiss you again, then?”
“Yes! Yes. Please do.”
As soon as you gave him permission, he placed his hands on the sides of your face and pulled you close to him.
Another thing about the universe is that not only does it send signs, it tends to have impeccable timing; just as Andrew leaned in to kiss you again, you heard the front door unlock. Quinn’s voice rang through the hallway.
“Hey, I don't know if you got my text, but there wasn't that much traffic so we got home… Oh. I see we're interrupting something.”
You both let go of each other, a look of guilt like you’d been caught doing something illegal. Thankfully, Quinn was no cop.
“I’m not mad or anything. Just happy you waited until Katie was asleep to start swapping spit.”
You both thanked her, ignoring a passing comment she made about how she “always did think you’d be good for each other”. You said your goodbyes, hugging Liam and Quinn with smiles and faces that were still flushed from earlier. You waved them a final goodbye and walked out onto the patio together, Andrew holding the door for you again. You were alone together again.
“So, do you think we could pick up from where we left off before?” You asked a mischievous glint in your eye.
“I thought you'd never ask.”
He finally leaned down to kiss you again, holding your face gently. This time, you reciprocated, placing your hand on the nape of his neck to keep him as close as possible. It was slow, as if both of you decided to take your time; a gentle precursor for all the kisses to come in the future. Your hands made their way into his hair, his making their way to your waist. You stay like that for what could have been forever for all that you care, but's only a minute.You both pulled away to get some air, small pants escaping your mouths. Andrew looked down at you with wonder, a smile growing on his face.
“You really are magic.” He mumbled.
“Still not magic. Just… me.” You deflected again.
“Is there a difference?” He asked rhetorically. He let out a sigh before speaking again.
“ Y/N… God, I feel like a teenager saying this, but… would you want to go on a date sometime? A proper one, with no babysitting or playing pretend. Just me and you and staring at a painting or a sunset or each other's faces.” He rambled, taking a deep breath. “Whatever you want.”
Letting out a laugh, you replied.
“I would love to.”
You gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Good night, Andrew.”
“Good night, Y/N.”
Andrew gave you one last peck on the lips before you, unfortunately, went your separate ways for the night. Walking back to your car, you also couldn’t help but feel like a teenager, but because he made you so… giddy, so willing to start something new with him. You could barely keep down the butterflies in your stomach. All of this caused by coincidence, a bit of fate, and a babysitting gig. Not how you thought the night was going to go, but perhaps the most pleasant surprise you’d ever had.
You got into your car, and tuned the radio to the same station as before. All the songs remind you of him.
You had the stupidest smile on your face the entire drive home.